Improvement in packing shingles



E. ,T. HOWELL Packingj'Shingles. I

N0.156,502. Patented Nov. 3,1874.

- 'tecwns UNITED STATES PATENT Orrreno EDWARD T. ROWELL, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PACKING SHINGLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 156,502, dated November 3,1874; application filed October 2,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. RowELL,

use in the way and manner which is the embodiment of my invention.

This invention consists in the method of preparing shingles for use by inserting between the layers or courses, when bunched,

dividing-strips or furrin gs 9, thereby produc-.

ing spaces h for the reception oftar, paint, or other preserving material, substantially as herein described.

To greatly facilitate the process of tarring shingles I first pack and bind them in bunches, and either while packing them, or after they are packed and bound, I place certain narrow dividing-strips g or furrings across and between all the butts of each layer or course of shingles in the pack or bunch. These dividing-strips hold the butts of the shingles apart, and by that means produce open spaces h between each two courses of shingles sufficient for the admissionand circulation of heated or liquefied tar, so as to cover the surfaces of all the shingles; each entire bunch of which, or

so much of each end thereof as may be desired after placing the furrings between the butts, is immersed in the previously-prepared tar, which runs through'all the spaces, and

completely and almost instantly covers all the shingles in the pack or bunch, and quite as effectually and with much greater facility than by the old method or process.

After immersing the bunches of such separated or divided shingles, or the opposite ends of each bunch, these are removed from the tar, and generally allowed to drain for a short space of time to rid them ofthe surplus tar, when they are ready for use or to be stacked or stored, and while thus stacked the spaces h furnish ample room for the circulation of air between all the shingles in each bunch, to carry off or allow the volatile substances in the tar to escape or to dry all the surfaces of the tarred shingles, which cannot be readily accomplished if they are closely packed together.

Instead of simply immersing the bunches of shingles in tar, if preferred they may be allowed to remain for several hours, or to be boiled in the tar so as to saturate or fill the wood with the tar.

I claim as my invention The method of preparing shingles for use by inserting between the layers or courses, when bunched, dividing-strips or furrings g, thereby producing spaces h for the reception of tar or other preserving material, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and described.

ED WARD T. ROWELL.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. CRANE, F. K. STEARNs. 

